TN Musician Vol. 74 No. 4

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Music Education Association 

FIGHTING THE 

OVERWHELM 

by Tim Nowak 

p. 12 

MOTIVATING 

YOUR ENSEMBLE 

by Wendy K. Matthews 

p. 16 

SCENES FROM 

THE 63RD ANNUAL 

TMEA CONFERENCE & 

ALL-STATE CONCERTS 

p. 22 

VOLUME 74, NO. 4

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2022 VOLUME 74, No. 4 

04 

05 

PROGRAM NOTES 

TMEA Board and Council Directory 

2021-2022 

Tennessee Musician Advertiser Index 

Issue No. 4 

07 

09 

Prelude - A Message from the Editor 

Anna Laura Williams 

TMEA President’s Message 

Alexis Yatuzis-Derryberry 

GUEST FEATURES 

12 

16 

31 

Fighting the Overwhelm: 

Organizing the Demands of Teaching 

Life Through Action Research 


Motivating Your Ensemble: 

Ignite a Spark! 


TEACHING IN TENNESSEE 

TMEA Back Then 

May 1980 

22 

Tennessee Musician is mailed to members four times each year at an annual 

subscription rate of $6.00 (included in dues). 

Non-member subscription rate (includes S&H): $30.00 per school year; 

single copies: $10.00 per issue. 

63RD ANNUAL TMEA CONFERENCE 

Scenes from the 63rd Annual TMEA 

Professional Development Conference: 

April 27-30, 2022 

photography by David Royse 

Postmaster - Send address changes to: 

Tennessee Musician 

c/o Tennessee Music Education Association 

2441-Q Old Fort Pkwy, #635 

Murfreesboro, TN 37128-4162 

Published by Slate Group: 6024 45th Street, Lubbock, Texas 79407. 

Graphic Design: Nikki Davis. Account Executive: Ian Spector (800-794-5594). 

Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization. U.S. Postage Paid at Lubbock, Texas. 

ISSN Number 0400-3332; EIN number 20-3325550. 

Copyright © 2022 Tennessee Music Education Association. Reproduction in any form 

is illegal without the express permission of the editor: Anna Laura Williams, Managing 

Editor & Advertising Manager; anna.laura.williams@tnmea.org. 

Tennessee Music Education Association | www.tnmea.org | 3

TMEA BOARD AND COUNCIL 

national executive board - national association for music education 

Southern Division Immediate Past-President 

Dian Eddleman 

deddleman@usjbruins.org 

tmea executive board 

TMEA Executive Director 

Michael W. Chester 

michael.chester@tnmea.org 

TMEA President 


alexis.yatuzisderryberry@tnmea.org 

TMEA President-Elect 

Ryan Fisher, Ph.D. 

rfisher3@memphis.edu 

TMEA Immediate Past-President 

Lafe Cook 

lcook@k12k.com 

TMEA Secretary 

Dian Eddleman 


board of directors 

TMEA State General Music Chair 

Franklin Willis 

franklin.willis@mnps.org 

TMEA State Choral Chair 

Jason Whitson 

whitsonj@btcs.org 

TMEA State Orchestra Chair 

Anna Maria Miller 

amamiller@bellsouth.net 

TMEA State Band Chair 

Jacob Campos 

jacob.campos@wcs.edu 

TMEA State Higher Education Chair 

Robert Bryant, Ph.D. 

rbryan14@tnstate.edu 

TMEA NAfME Collegiate Chair 

Jody Blake, Ph.D. 

jblake17@utm.edu 

TMEA Society for Music Teacher 

Education/Research Chair 

Loneka Wilkinson Battiste, Ph.D. 

lbattis2@utk.edu 

TMEA Advocacy and 

Government Relations Chair 

Christopher Dye, Ed.D. 

christopher.dye@mtsu.edu 

TMEA Publications Editor and 

Advertising Manager 


anna.laura.williams@tnmea.org 

tmea council 

WTGMEA President 

Jennifer Proseus 

wtgmeamemphis@yahoo.com 

WTGMEA President-Elect 

Harrison Howle 

howle.harrison@hardingacademymemphis.org 

WTVMEA President 

Sharon Morris 

smorris@lced.net 

WTVMEA President-Elect 

Adrian Maclin 

maclinal@scsk12.org 

WTSBOA President 

Jennifer Cupples 

jennifer.cupples@wcsk12tn.net 

WTSBOA President-Elect 

Benjamin Martin 

bmartin@huntingdonschools.net 

project chairs 

TMEA Guitar Education 

(Modern Band) Chair 

Ryan Payne 

payner@rcschools.net 

TMEA Jazz Education Policy Chair 

Ollie Liddell, Ph.D. 

ollie_liddell@hotmail.com 

TMEA Music in Our Schools Month Chair 

Tiffany Barton 

tntreblechoir@gmail.com 

TMEA Music Merchants Industry Chair 

Nick Averwater 

nick@amromusic.com 

TMEA Retired Teachers Chair 

Bobby Jean Frost 

bjfrost@aol.com 

TMEA Tri-M Co-Chair 

Dian Eddleman 


4 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2022 | Volume 74, No. 4 

MTGMEA President 

Corynn York 

yorkc@rcschools.net 

MTGMEA President-Elect 

Abbi Miller 

abigail.miller@cityschools.net 

MTVA President 

Gerald Patton, Ed.D. 

pattong@rcschools.net 

MTVA President-Elect 

Lorna Pyka 

lornapyka@yahoo.com 

MTSBOA President 

J.R. Baker 

john.baker@rcstn.net 

MTSBOA President-Elect 

Stacy Jernigan 

stacy.jernigan000@gmail.com 

TMEA Tri-M Co-Chair 


anna.laura.williams@tnmea.org 

TMEA Webmaster 

John Womack 

webmaster@tnmea.org 

all-state management team 

TN All-State Choral Chair 

Brian Russell, DMA 

brian.russell@tnmea.org 

TN All-State Instrumental Chair 

Carter Noblin 

noblinc@wcschools.com 

ETGMEA President 

Bryant Adler 

badler@alcoaschools.net 

ETGMEA President-Elect 

Hannah White 

hannah.white@maryvillecollege.edu 

ETVA President 

Deborah Gouge 

debbie.gouge@ecschools.net 

ETVA President-Elect 

Kristen Wiram 

wiram_k@hcde.org 

ETSBOA President 

Donald Benton 

dbenton@bradleyschools.org 

ETSBOA President-Elect 

Jim Burton 

jburton@clevelandschools.org 

ensemble chairs 

TN Treble Honor Choir Chair 

Tiffany Barton 

tntreblechoir@gmail.com 

TN All-State Jazz Band Chair 

Cord Martin 

corderyl.martin@gmail.com 

conference management team 

TMEA Conference Chair 

Ryan Fisher, Ph.D. 

rfisher3@memphis.edu 

TMEA Conference Exhibits Chair 

Jo Ann Hood 

jhood10105@aol.com 

TMEA Conference Registration Chair 

Mark Garey 

mgarey86@comcast.net 

TMEA Conference Performance 

Group Chair 

John Mears 

tmeaperformancechair@gmail.com

TENNESSEE MUSICIAN ADVERTISER INDEX | VOLUME 74, No. 4 

Tennessee Musician 

The Official Publication of the 

Tennessee Music Education 

Association 

02 | Mapex Marching Drums 

06 | Middle Tennessee State 

University 

08 | University of Tennessee 

Knoxville School of Music 

10 | Hercules Stands 


at Martin 


Knoxville Bands 

18 | NAMM Foundation 

19 | Jupiter Music 

Inside Front Cover 

Tennessee Tech. University 

University of Memphis 

Inside Back Cover 

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 

Back Cover 

Lee University 

20 | Lanikai Ukuleles 

21 | Austin Peay State 

University 

24 | Mississippi State 

University 

28 | Bethel University 

29 | East Tennessee State 

University 

30 | Yamaha Corporation 

of America 

32 | Slate Group 

The Tennessee Music Education 

Association (TMEA) was officially 

formed in 1945 as a voluntary, nonprofit 

organization representing 

all phases of music education at all 

school levels. The mission of TMEA 

is to promote the advancement of 

high-quality music education for all. 

Active TMEA membership is open to 

all persons currently teaching music 

and others with a special interest 

or involvement in music education. 

Collegiate memberships and 

retired memberships are available. 

Additional membership information 

is available on the TMEA website: 

www.tnmea.org. 

The Tennessee Musician was 

founded in 1948 with J. Clark Rhodes 

appointed by the TMEA Board of 

Control as inaugural editor. 

Tennessee Musician was preceded 

by an earlier publication, Tennessee 

Music Editors’ Downbeat, which was 

discontinued by the TMEA Board of 

Control at the spring board meeting, 

held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 

1948. 

All advertising and editorial 

materials should be sent to 

Anna Laura Williams, Managing 

Editor and Advertising Manager; 

anna.laura.williams@tnmea.org; 

615-784-8632. 

Advertising information is available 

on the TMEA website: 

https://www.tnmea.org/advertising. 

html. Submit editorial materials by 

e-mail in Microsoft Word format. 

Non-member subscriptions and 

single copy orders can be placed via 

e-mail to the editor. 

Deadlines for advertisement orders 

and editorial materials: 

Issue No. 1 – Deadline: September 15 

(in home delivery: October/November); 

Issue No. 2 – Deadline: November 15 

(in home delivery: December/January); 

Issue No. 3 – Deadline: February 15 

(in home delivery: March/April); 

Issue No. 4 – Deadline: April 15 

(in home delivery: May/June) 

The views and opinions expressed in 

the articles included in the Tennessee 

Musician are those of the authors and 

do not necessarily reflect the official 

policy or position of TMEA, the 

members, the staff, or the advertisers. 


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PRELUDE - A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR 


Siegel Middle School 

YOU ARE IMPORTANT. COUNT THE 

VICTORIES, BOTH BIG AND SMALL, 

IN EVERY LESSON AND REHEARSAL. 

Joy abounds in our lives. Even when we are not aware of it, 

joy is patiently waiting. Music educators do not have to 

search very far to see how the music we teach empowers, 

strengthens, and unites our students, our families, and our 

communities—in other words, our music is joy. Every music 

teacher has the unique ability to share the positive power 

of music. 

This upcoming school year, we can resolve to start with 

an invigorated outlook on what music can mean for our 

students. Reflection during the summer months can refresh 

our energy. As music teachers, we may quickly recall what 

we would like to improve, but it is extremely important to 

also recognize what went well from our music teaching in 

the past. Moving forward, these experiences can come 

together as the building blocks for the year ahead. When we 

set goals for what we would like to accomplish in our music 

classrooms and ensembles, we may draw upon prior musical 

experiences. Previous elements may be reconstructed and 

rearranged to make some of the most meaningful successes 

in the future. 

Once we begin our own respective preparations for the 

next year, I hope some of the following reminders will 

be beneficial. No one can predict how far reaching their 

impact may be for others. Every day, we may be an inspiration 

for someone. You are important. Count the victories, both 

big and small, in every lesson and rehearsal. Remember 

that the camaraderie of colleagues and friends can be a 

significant encouragement. Take time to acknowledge your 

achievements. Thank those who have helped along the way. 

It is my sincerest desire that you find the materials in this 

publication helpful as we enjoy this summer and plan for the 

new school year. 


17th Editor, Tennessee Musician 


For musical passions of all kinds, the 

University of Tennessee School of Music 

is here to empower you to achieve your 

dreams. Join the Volunteer family and 

pursue your ambitions with confidence. 

APPLY 

music.utk.edu 

music@utk.edu 

865-974-3241 @UTKSOM

TMEA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 


Stewarts Creek High School 

AS MUSIC EDUCATORS, AND AS AN 

ORGANIZATION, WE HAVE RISEN 

ABOVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE 

PANDEMIC AND HAVE COME OUT ON 

THE OTHER SIDE STRONGER. 

As I write this, my last message as the President of the Tennessee Music 

Education Association, I am reflecting on the past two years. We have overcome 

so much. Nelson Mandela said, “Everyone can rise above their circumstances 

and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they 

do.” As music educators, and as an organization, we have risen above the 

circumstances of the pandemic and have come out on the other side stronger. 

We found out that we could do hard things as we were forced to take a step 

back and reimagine the way we did everything. We continued to teach music 

virtually, to teach music using bell covers, and to teach music without singing. 

I am so proud of each and every one of you for persevering. 

I am also reflecting upon our 63rd Annual TMEA Professional Development 

Conference and All-State Concerts that took place during April 2022. I am so 

grateful to the TMEA Board of Directors, Project Chairs, Conference Chairs, 

and Regional Leaders for all of their dedication and positivity as we planned 

and then executed our first in-person event in over two years. It was so wonderful 

to see everyone and be around live music making. 

I am excited for the future of the Tennessee Music Education Association 

and the future of music education. I know that TMEA President Ryan Fisher 

and his wonderful TMEA Board of Directors will continue reimagining and 

reinventing how music education is perceived and performed in the great 

state of Tennessee. 

Respectfully, 


38th TMEA President 

TENNESSEE 

MUSIC EDUCATION 

ASSOCIATION 

64th Annual Professional 

Development Conference 

& All-State Concerts 

APRIL 19-22, 2023 

Gaylord Opryland Resort 

and Convention Center 

Visit the TMEA Website for 

Updates and Announcements: 

www.tnmea.org 


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The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/ Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. 

Inquiries should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 303 Administration Building, Martin, TN 38238, (731) 881-3505 Office, (731) 881-4889 TTY, Hearing Impaired, (731) 881-3507 Fax, equityanddiversity@utm.edu, http://www.utm.edu/departments/equalopp/. In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act), UTM’s annual security 

report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on or around the campus and UTM’s emergency response and evacuation procedures. You can view the report at http://www.utm.edu/departments/publicsafety/_pdfs/annual security report 2014 adobe.pdf or you may obtain a paper copy of the report by contacting the Office of Public Safety, 215 Hurt Street, Martin, TN 38238 or 

calling (731) 881-7777. Data on intercollegiate athletics program participation rates and financial support may be found at http://www.utm.edu/about/consumer.php#3g and printed copies may be obtained through the Office of Intercollegiate Athletics, 1022 Elam Center, Martin, TN 38238 or by calling (731) 881-7660. E05-5220-00-024-22

TMEA GUEST FEATURES 

FIGHTING 

the OVERWHELM 

ORGANIZING THE DEMANDS OF TEACHING 

LIFE THROUGH ACTION RESEARCH 


When I talk to public school music teachers about 

their school year, the word I hear most often is 

“overwhelmed.” Many teachers have had to dramatically 

change what happens in their classrooms. Aside from 

the changes to physical routines due to virus-mitigation 

protocols, the learning disruptions of the past two years 

have created unpredictable gaps in the knowledge and 

skills teachers had previously expected from students. 

On top of the instructional challenges, new administrative 

requests—trainings, data reporting, PLCs, class coverages — 

seem to arise daily. This says nothing of the ongoing 

psychological trauma many students and teachers are 

experiencing due to the pandemic. How are teachers 

supposed to address these constant challenges while 

continuing to support student learning? How might they 

meet all these demands? 

I offer the process of action research as a way of organizing 

the demands of your teaching life to investigate and solve 

instructional problems in your classroom. Craig Mertler 

(2018) defined action research as inquiry by practitioners 

to “address local-level problems of practice with the 

anticipation of finding immediate answers to questions or 

solutions to those problems” (p. 11). 

Before you throw this article away in frustration at yet 

another thing to add to your already overwhelming teaching 

life, hear me out. My intent is not to suggest additional 

things for you to do. Rather, what I’m suggesting is a way 

of rethinking and organizing what you’re already doing 

so you can direct those activities toward addressing the 

most pressing instructional challenges you’re experiencing. 

In other words, my goal is to outline a process that 

can help you investigate one challenge at a time, find 

possible solutions, and still address your non-instructional 

demands. The process includes five steps: articulate a 

problem, ask a question, generate data, review the results, 

and create a plan. 

PROBLEMS AND QUESTIONS 

Articulating a problem is the most challenging step of 

action research. Finding a problem is less of an issue than 

framing the problem in a way that opens possibilities for 

inquiry. For example, a middle school orchestra teacher 

may find her students are struggling to perform repertoire

I OFFER THE PROCESS OF 

ACTION RESEARCH AS 

A WAY OF ORGANIZING 

THE DEMANDS OF 

YOUR TEACHING LIFE 

TO INVESTIGATE AND 

SOLVE INSTRUCTIONAL 

PROBLEMS IN YOUR 

CLASSROOM. 

that is at the difficulty level she typically expects. She 

might articulate the problem as “my students can’t play the 

rep I need them to play.” This framing closes off inquiry in 

two ways. First, the “cause” of the problem—the students— 

has already been identified without any investigation. 

Second, the “solution” is already evident from the problem 

statement—the students just need to play better. In this 

framing, the problem need not be investigated, and the 

solution is hardly helpful. How might we reframe this 

statement in a way that creates opportunities to improve the 

teacher’s practice and the students’ learning? 

We might start by phrasing the problem as a value-neutral 

observation: there is a discrepancy between the teacher’s 

expectations of students and their current proficiency. 

Framing the instructional challenge as a factual description 

invites further questions about the situation: 

‣ What specific aspects of their playing diverge from 

the expectations? 

‣ How far are they from the expectations? 

Note, these questions are narrowly focused on what 

students know and are able to do. Such questions are 

more likely to lead—in Mertler’s words—to “immediate 

solutions” to the instructional challenge the teacher is 

experiencing (p. 11). Causal questions—such as, “why is 

there this gap?”—typically require evidence from outside 

the immediate classroom setting, and the answer to such 

questions may lead to a solution beyond the control of an 

individual teacher. In other words, to address challenges 

in your classroom, ask questions that narrowly focus on 

what is happening in your classroom. 

GENERATING DATA 

Once you have questions for inquiry, consider the evidence 

(i.e., data) that could best answer your questions and 

how you will generate that data. Rather than designing 

and scheduling additional activities or assessments, 

look for ways to integrate this process into your existing 

instructional routine using assessment tools— tests, rubrics, 

rating scales—you already plan to use. 

If necessary, reformat your planned assessments so they 

can address your current instructional needs. This data 

generation process does not require that you give students a 

formal assessment and grade; the sole purpose is to inform 

your instruction, so do whatever will give you the best 

information without disrupting your routine and creating 

additional stress for you and your students (for more on 

assessment purpose and design, see Pellegrino et al., 2015). 

The best evidence for our example teacher would be 

descriptions—either written observations or numeric 

scores—of her students’ performance skills in different 

areas, such as rhythm reading, scales, bowings, shifting, 

etc. She might ask pairs or quartets of students to perform 

a four-measure excerpt during warm-ups that highlights 

one skill she wants to measure while she fills out a threepoint 

rating scale on each student and makes brief notes 

about their abilities. To minimize the disruption to daily 

instruction, she could rotate through the ensemble over a 

week so every student performs once. Again, the key is to 

make the measurement process as efficient as possible, 

while still providing the data needed to answer the question. 

RESULTS AND PLANNING 

Once you’ve collected your data, organize the information 

in a way that makes sense to you and allows you to look 

for patterns. If you have numeric data, consider using a 

THE KEY IS TO MAKE 

THE MEASUREMENT 

PROCESS AS EFFICIENT 

AS POSSIBLE, WHILE 

STILL PROVIDING THE 

DATA NEEDED TO 

ANSWER THE QUESTION. 


spreadsheet application to create tables with filters. For 

text-based data, cut and paste responses so that similar 

responses or prompts are grouped together. 

Start your analysis broadly. Are there certain questions, 

tasks, or prompts on which students scored better or worse? 

Are there recurring words, phrases, or ideas in the text? 

Once you’ve noted broad patterns across all your students, 

try rearranging the data by different student groups— 

woodwind/brass, upper/lower strings, morning/afternoon 

classes, etc.—to see if there are deeper or more subtle trends. 

While time consuming, this process can be invaluable 

for your instruction. If you participate in a PLC or other 

professional development group, you might consider 

bringing your data for discussion or additional feedback. 

Once you have reviewed the data and checked for different 

patterns, return to your question(s) for inquiry—what 

answers do the data suggest? Initially, keep your answers 

tied directly to the data. For example, our orchestra teacher 

may find that upper string students scored lowest on first 

finger intonation, while low string students scored lowest 

on shifting intonation. 

Then, consider how these answers might be related to 

the overall problem you began with and some possible 

solutions you could implement in your teaching. In other 

words, begin to develop a theory that connects your data to 

the challenge you are experiencing, and develop an action 

plan based on that theory. 

Our orchestra teacher might speculate that left-hand 

technique is the greatest current challenge for her students. 

To address this challenge, she could plan warm-ups that 

reinforce foundational left-hand concepts needed for the 

repertoire. If your district requires you to submit unit 

plans or lesson plans, use that as the template for your 

action plan. 

REACH OUT FOR RESOURCES 

Throughout this process, remember that NAfME has 

resources you can draw on to help you with your inquiry 

and action plan. NAfME publishes multiple journals with 

the latest research in music teaching and learning, including 

Update, a journal specifically designed to help bring this 

research to practicing teachers. 

To meet the ever-increasing demands of the current 

teaching environment, teachers need ways to consolidate 

their professional activities and direct them toward 

the immediate problems they are experiencing in their 

classrooms. Action research is one possibility for doing 

so efficiently and effectively. 

REFERENCES 

Mertler, C. A. (2018). Action research communities: 

Professional learning, empowerment, and improvement 

through collaborative action research. Routledge. 

Pellegrino, K., Conway, C. M., & Russell, J. A. (2015). 

Assessment in performance-based secondary music 

classes. Music Educators Journal, 102(1), 48-55. 

https://doi.org/10.1177/0027432115590183 

Reprinted from the Winter 2022 issue (Vol. 72, No. 3) of North 

Carolina Music Educator with permission from the North 

Carolina Music Educators Association. Visit the NCMEA 

website: https://www.ncmea.net/ 

TIM NOWAK is an Assistant Professor 

of String Music Education at East 

Carolina University. His current 

research focuses music education in 

rural settings, and he has presented at 

a variety of professional conferences 

across the Unites States. He actively 

works as a clinician and adjudicator 

for a range of solo and ensemble 

festivals nation-wide. He earned 

his B.M. from Ithaca College, his M.A. from the Eastman 

School of Music, and his Ph.D. from Arizona State 

University. (Photo provided by East Carolina University.)

TMEA GUEST FEATURES 

MOTIVATING 

YOUR ENSEMBLE 

IGNITE A SPARK! 


When making music with others, the ensemble is able to become much more than 

the sum of its individual parts. What can we do as conductors to guide and shape 

this process? One approach is to nurture two motivational constructs from psychology: 

self-efficacy and collective efficacy. 

As defined by noted psychologist Albert Bandura, self-efficacy is one’s personal 

beliefs regarding their capabilities to perform certain behaviors successfully, and 

collective efficacy is an indicator of a group’s judgment of their combined capabilities 

to accomplish a task. Research shows that actively cultivating both self- and collective 

efficacy influences musicians’ performance, their use of effective strategies, their 

willingness to persist, and their long-term participation in music. 

16 | TENNESSEE MUSICIAN | 2022 | Volume 74, No. 4

SELF-EFFICACY: Light a Flame! 

Let’s take a closer look at self-efficacy—how our individual 

ensemble members think about their own capabilities. It 

is essential to make sure each musician in our ensemble 

believes they can be successful, and here are some ways to 

support self-efficacy: 

Welcome ensemble members into each rehearsal by 

completing your administrative tasks or setting them aside 

for another time. Be in the moment as they arrive and set the 

tone for a productive rehearsal. 

Create a positive, warm, and encouraging atmosphere 

by being enthusiastic, animated, and passionate on the 

podium. Think of this as “energy in equals energy out.” For 

example, if you are very monotone and unenthusiastic, even 

though you are saying all the right things, you will cultivate 

an equally flat rehearsal. 

Be clear with your expectations, both large and small. 

This includes setting expectations on how to warm up 

properly, balance and blend within the ensemble, correctly 

perform a specific passage, or demonstrate a positive 

rehearsal behavior. Set out to accomplish at least one goal 

per composition during each rehearsal. 

Use constructive feedback that includes concrete 

strategies to help your musicians improve. This positive, 

specific, and strategy-filled feedback emphasizes the 

musical expectations for each passage. Use encouraging 

statements like “Yes, that’s it! Good balance in this phrase; 

we can hear the melody over the accompaniment.” 

Focus your rehearsals on individual improvement 

and progress. In psychology, these are referred to as 

mastery goals. Recognize effort, provide opportunities 

for improvement, and encourage your musicians to view 

mistakes as part of learning. 

COLLECTIVE EFFICACY: Build a Fire! 

Now that you’ve encouraged self-efficacy, how do you get 

the individuals to work together? Many rehearsal issues 

reflect group problems that require sustained collective 

effort to solve. Studies show that collective efficacy ebbs 

and flows, with the low point typically being the middle 

of the concert cycle. Observing the group’s collective 

efficacy provides ways to examine your ensemble’s inner 

workings, revealing opportunities to cultivate and support 

collaboration. 

Here are some approaches to fostering collective efficacy: 

Focus on setting a respectful tone on how people interact 

in the rehearsal room. We lead by example, create a sense 

of belonging and commitment to making music together. 

Acceptance and tolerance are critical to cooperation. 

Identify areas where your ensemble members can 

participate in leadership roles and decision-making. 

Members can develop ownership of the music making by 

contributing ideas regarding repertoire, interpretation, 

rehearsal strategies, etc. 

Inspire and reinvigorate the group by finishing 

rehearsals with a favorite piece of the ensemble, one they 

play confidently or one that they relate to, such as a pop 

tune or current movie theme. You can also consider inviting 

motivational guest speakers and professional musicians to 

work with the group. 

Monitor both positive and negative interactions. 

Respond to the culture of your ensemble and the multiple 

communities in which your group resides. Consider 

planning social activities to help members connect with 

each other outside of rehearsal. 

In conclusion, you wear several hats—conductor, coach, 

mentor, and leader! And in terms of motivation, you are 

the cheerleader, inspiring and guiding the ensemble. 

Actively seek what you can do to encourage self-efficacy 

and collective efficacy in your ensemble. If you do, you’ll 

find your musicians working together with enthusiasm 

and dedication to making music. 

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT 

ACTIVELY CULTIVATING 

BOTH SELF- AND 

COLLECTIVE EFFICACY 

INFLUENCES MUSICIANS’ 

PERFORMANCE, THEIR USE 

OF EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES, 

THEIR WILLINGNESS 

TO PERSIST, AND THEIR 

LONG-TERM PARTICIPATION 

IN MUSIC. 

Reprinted with permission from National Association for 

Music Education (NAfME). The original article, published 

on January 20, 2022, can be found at https://nafme.org/ 

motivating-your-ensemble-ignite-spark/. 


REFERENCES 

Ames, C., & Archer, J. (1988). Achievement goals in the 

classroom: Students’ learning strategies and motivational 

processes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 260-267. 

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: 

A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice- 

Hall. 

Matthews, W. K. (2017). “Stand by me”: A mixed 

methods study of a collegiate marching band members’ 

intragroup beliefs throughout a performance season. 

Journal of Research in Music Education, 65(2), 179–202. 

https://doi-org.10.1177/0022429417694875 

Matthews, W. K., & Kitsantas, A. (2007). Group 

cohesion, collective efficacy, and motivational climate 

as predictors of conductor support in music ensembles. 

Journal of Research in Music Education, 55(1), 6–17. 

https://doi-org.10.1177/002242940705500102 

WENDY K. MATTHEWS is Associate 

Professor of Music Education and 

Director of Bands at Kent State 

University. She holds degrees from 

the Peabody Conservatory of Music, 

University of Maryland-College Park, 

and George Mason University. Her 

research interests include music 

teacher pedagogies, oral histories of 

pioneering women brass players, and 

motivation and group dynamics in large ensembles. Her 

research has been published in several journals including 

the Journal of Research in Music Education, Psychology 

of Music, and the Journal of Band Research. Dr. Matthews 

has presented research, professional development, 

and historical sessions at national and international 

conferences, including Symposium on Music Teacher 

Education, International Society for Music Education, 

and the National Association for Music Education, as well 

as numerous state and collegiate conferences including 

OMEA, TMEA, MMC, KMEA, CASMEC, NCMEA, 

and VMEA. Dr. Matthews is the co-author of the Basic 

Conducting Techniques (Seventh Edition). Additionally, Dr. 

Matthews is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician, and 

adjudicator. 

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Austin Peay State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, 

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AP119/10-21/1

TMEA 63RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE 

63RD ANNUAL 

TENNESSEE MUSIC EDUCATION 

ASSOCIATION PROFESSIONAL 

DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE 

& ALL-STATE CONCERTS 

April 27, 2022 - April 30, 2022 

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center 

Photography courtesy of David Royse 

1 2 

3 

4 5 


TMEA AWARDS BANQUET – APRIL 28, 2022 

1 

TMEA President Alexis Yatuzis- 

Derryberry, Opening Remarks 

6 

7 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

Keynote Address - Nola Jones 

TMEA Recognition of Service Awards 

TMEA Recognition of Service Awards 

TMEA Special Service & Dedication 

Recognition Award - Charlene Cook (right) 

TMEA Outstanding Young Music Educator 

Award - Corynn York (right) 

TMEA Outstanding Young Music Educator 

Award - John Womack (right), presented by 

32nd TMEA President Gary Wilkes (left) 

TMEA Hall of Fame Award - 

R. Winston Morris (left) 

TMEA Hall of Fame Award - 

David Royse (left) 

National Association for Music Education 

Lowell Mason Fellow Award - Ron Meers 

(left) presented by TMEA Immediate 

Past-President Lafe Cook (right) and 

former TMEA Past-Presidents 

Ron Meers (left) and Jo Ann Hood (right) 

Former TMEA Executive Director Ron 

Meers (left) with current TMEA Executive 

Director Michael Chester (right) 

National Band Association Mentor Award - 

Jo Ann Hood 

8 9 

10 

11 12 13 


TMEA AWARDS BANQUET – APRIL 28, 2022 

14 

15 

16 

TMEA Friends of Music Education Award - 

Amro Music Stores, Inc.; received by Nick 

Averwater (right), and John Easley (left) 

TMEA Administrator of the Year Award - 

Linda Cash 

TMEA Administrator of the Year Award - 

Gregory Stewart 

14 

15 16 

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TMEA ALL-STATE CONCERTS 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

SSAA All-State Choir – 

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Dena Byers, Conductor; Gary Neeley, 


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Craig Needham, Conductor 

All-State 11th-12th Grade Symphony 

Orchestra – David Grandis, Conductor 

All-State 9th-10th Grade Band – 

David Starnes, Conductor 

All-State 11th-12th Grade Band – 

Michael J. Colburn, Col. USMC (Ret.), 

Conductor 

17 

18 

19 

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21 22 

23 24 25 


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TMEA BACK THEN 

➣ 

➣ 

➣ 

In the opening presidential message, then-TMEA President 

T. Earl Hinton introduced incoming TMEA President 

Joe Giles who would take office on July 1, 1980. As Mr. 

Hinton concluded his reflection upon his term as TMEA 

President, he expressed the following resolution: 

“As I write this message (Easter Sunday), the beauty of 

the earth is once again reassuring. Let’s each one resolve 

that the coming year will be better; that the beauty of 

music, like the beauty of Spring, should be made available 

to every person. Let’s each one resolve that although 

many conditions of life seem dissatisfying and frustrating 

that we nevertheless have much to be thankful for.” 

(Hinton, 1980, p. 6). 

An article heralded that Col. Arnald D. Gabriel would 

lead the United States Air Force Band in a performance 

on June 5, 1980, at the Knoxville Civic Center during 

the Third Annual Convention of the National Band 

Association hosted in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

Additional information about the Third Annual Convention 

of the National Band Association was featured in an 

article titled, “Five Outstanding Tennessee Music 

Groups To Perform at NBA National Convention 

in Knoxville.” The following Tennessee concert bands, 

marching bands, and jazz bands represented our state in 

this event that occurred June 5-7, 1980: 

➣ 

TMEA members were urged to vote in the thenupcoming 

TMEA President-Elect election once 

they received their paper ballots in the mail. The 

biographies for the two nominees were announced 

in this publication: 

Ê 

Ê 

1980 TMEA President-Elect candidate Nancy 

Ferguson served in various leadership positions 

in West Tennessee, including President of the 

West Tennessee Elementary Music Educators 

Association, Past-President of the American 

Orff Schulwerk Association; she also served as 

the Elementary Program Chairman for SMENC 

(MENC would later become NAfME). Ms. Ferguson 

previously taught in Memphis City Schools. 

1980 TMEA President-Elect candidate Walter 

McDaniel served in various leadership positions in 

East Tennessee, including President of the East 

Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association; 

he also served as the President of the Tennessee 

Bandmasters Association. Mr. McDaniel previously 

taught at Lebanon High School, Lenoir City 

High School, and the University of Tennessee at 

Knoxville. 

Ê 

Ê 

Ê 

Ê 

Ê 

Tennessee Tech. Troubadours 

Bearden High School Concert Band 

Clinton Senior High School Concert Band 

McGavock High School Marching Band 

(Nashville, Tennessee) 

Riverdale High School Marching Band 

(Murfreesboro, Tennessee) 

➣ 

Nationally-renowned cellist and conductor Jacquelyn Dillon 

was announced as the guest clinician for a string clinic on 

October 3-4, 1980, at Tennessee Tech. University where 

she would lead sessions specifically for students as well as 

sessions intended for directors. 

THE TENNESSEE MUSICIAN (MARCH 1980) 

Volume 32, No. 4 – 32 pgs. 

T. Earl Hinton, TMEA President 

Lawrence P. Cooney, Editor 


you work hard at 

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PURSUE YOUR PASSION 

FOR MUSIC AT UTC. 

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Music 

Division provides the highest quality education for 

our students. We offer degrees in performance, 

composition, education and music therapy as well as 

many generous scholarship opportunities. Gain realworld 

experience while receiving your education by 

joining one of our instrumental or choral ensembles. 

Apply now, begin your future in music today. 

Scholarship and 

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Opportunities 

Guthrie Male Quartet Scholarships 

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Tennessee Music Education Association 

2441-Q Old Fort Pkwy, #635 

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37128-4162 

Visit our website to schedule your audition! 

A Christ-centered university in southeast Tennessee 

dedicated to preparing tomorrow's musicians. 

For audition information & scholarships visit leeuniversity.edu/music

TN Musician Vol. 74 No. 4

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